Adolescent Group Homes

Group Home services offer troubled adolescents a caring, supportive living environment in which they can address their treatment issues while being held accountable for their individual choices. Orion Family Services operates three group homes in Wisconsin.

Each home is operated by a professional staff, including a Program Director, a Group Home Manager, and a School Liaison/Outreach Coordinator who work with the residents individually, in groups, and with family members. The treatment program is based on behavior management and accountability combined with counseling, and has the flexibility to target individual needs and behavior issues.

The program operates on a behavioral level system. Residents are able to earn their privileges and assume higher levels of responsibility commensurate with their progress on targeted behavior and treatment issues. Resident care staff work night-awake shifts, staffing the group home 24 hours a day. The treatment program has a strong independent living component; residents take turns helping plan menus, shopping for groceries, preparing and cleaning up after meals, and planning weekly recreation activities. Adolescents in the therapeutic group home setting attend local community schools and the School Liaison maintains close contact with each resident's teachers. Residents are encouraged to apply for and hold after-school jobs in the community, when appropriate. Discharge planning begins at admission with particular attention paid to the individual's current and projected levels of functioning, his/her support system and his/her concerns. The ultimate goal of treatment is to discharge the child to a less restrictive level of care.

Behavioral Problems Addressed

Emotional and behavioral concerns that are addressed include, but are not limited to:

Academic Support & Employment Training

Each group home has a staff person who acts as a liaison with the public schools and assists residents in the areas of academic performance and school conduct.

Additional tutoring and academic skill training if necessary, with emphasis on reading and writing skills.

Assistance and support with job seeking and employment.

Community Outreach and Recreation

Development of community resources to facilitate skill acquisition and build self-esteem

Community service/volunteer activities

Aftercare Services

Follow-up support and coaching post discharge

Special focus on family and peer relationships and transition to local school

Agency Collaboration and Family Participation

In keeping with Orion's desire to maximize a child's potential for success, group home staff seek to collaborate with family, county and wraparound workers, school personnel, and other key individuals and services. In addition to monthly team reviews, staff consult with team members frequently. Orion has several office sites in addition to the group homes, so meetings can be held at the most convenient location for the participants.

Orion strives to involve the family in goal setting and family counseling with the aim of increasing the family's ability to communicate and resolve conflict effectively.

Referrals

To make a referral, contact our Executive Director, Hugh Meyers, at 608-270-2511 x 18, or at hmeyers@orionfamilyservices.org.